Lok Sabha today passed a bill to regulate private hospitals and clinics across the country in a bid to crack down on illegal trade of organs.

The Clinical Establishments Bill envisages setting up a national council and state councils and for regulating such establishments.

It would ensure that no person runs a clinic unless it has been duly registered in accordance with prescribed procedure.

The bill was passed without discussion as the House witnessed uproar over reported scam in allocation of 2G spectrum and alleged links of a union minister with a Bangladeshi arms dealer.

For registration and continuation of operation, every establishment will have to follow minimum standards of facilities and services.

The establishments will have to provide the medical examination and treatment as may be required to stabilise the emergency medical condition of any individual who comes or is brought to the facility.

The bill envisages setting up of a National Council for Clinical Establishments and separate state councils to regulate the medical facilities.

The state councils will be responsible for compiling and updating the state register of clinical establishments and sending monthly returns in digital format for updating the national register.

The state government would also set up district authorities for registration of health units, with the district collector and district health officer as members.

The Government had felt the necessity of the act after reports of widespread illegal organ donation and sex selection ultrasound tests carried out by certain private medical establishments.